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Best Poems Written by Hi-Dong Chai

Below are the all-time best Hi-Dong Chai poems as chosen by PoetrySoup members

Details | Hi-Dong Chai Poem

Spoonful of Rice

(This is a universal story of mother’s sacrifice for their children, be it material, emotional, or intellectual.)


It was during the Korean War
Father was taken away by the Communists
Months ago
He never returned

Mother and I were left alone
In an island as refugees
Without anyone supporting us

One day
Mother brought a cup of rice
For me to eat
Only three spoonful
In the cup

I gobbled it up
Without much thought
Feeling still hungry

Mother took the cup in the kitchen
Closed the door

Through a crack
I saw Mother scraping
Scraping the bottom of the cup
For a few grains left
She licked the spoon over and over

How long has she been hungry
To feed me?
I froze
Really froze

I quietly left the room
To a beach nearby
Looking at the horizon
Where ocean met the sky
Far far away

Wanting to swim
Toward it
Until my strength
Sapped to nil
So that Mother didn't have to
Feed another mouth

Then a question surfaced
Will she be happy without me
So she can feed herself?

No way
Was my answer
She has already lost
Many of her loved ones
Without me
She will not go on living

I stood
With my heart filled with
Opposing forces
Resumed my walk
Toward Mother

Details | Hi-Dong Chai Poem

Sacrifice

It was during WWII
Japan ruled 
Koreans obeyed

Japan ordered
All Koreans
Walk up to Shinto Temple
And bow down to the picture
Of their emperor

Are you kidding?
My father scoffed
My God is god of Jesus Christ
Him will I only serve

My father was taken to prison

My brother Hi-Seung volunteered
To join the military
To have his father released

He left home
As a vibrant 15 year old boy
He returned home
As an injured 18 year old man
He died a year later

Before he died
I looked forward
To every tomorrow

When he died
The light went out of my life
He was my best friend

My heart still yearns for him
More than sixty years later

I wish there is a place
Called heaven
So that I can hold his hand
Look up to him with smile
When I get there

Details | Hi-Dong Chai Poem

I Marched On

Crushed by WII
Brutal arms of Japan
Father in prison
Brother in heaven
But I marched on

Crushed by Korean War
Brutal arms of North
Goodbye, Father
See you in heaven
But I marched on

Crushed by hunger
Refugee in an island
Fish swam all around
No net to catch 
But I marched on

Penniless in America
Land of abundance
Thirsty and hungry
To climb a mountain top
But I marched on

Yes, I was crushed
By wars
By hunger
By penniless

But I have marched on
Knowing
I have peace in my heart
I have freedom in my heart
I have gold mine in my heart
Nothing can touch them

Details | Hi-Dong Chai Poem

Where Do I Sit

(Austin, Texas, 1955)

I see in a bus
All the black faces in the back
All the white faces in the front
I’m neither white nor black!
Where do I sit?

Greyhound bus station
I see two signs
‘Whites Only’
‘Blacks Only’
I’m neither white nor black!
Which one do I use?
Ask a bus attendant
He scratched his head 
And smiled
‘Go to the wall 
Between two doors’
Then he tapped my back
And said
Either is OK with me
Young man

FIFTY YEARS LATER

I visited Austin
No more black faces 
Sitting in the back
No more 
‘Blacks Only’ ‘Whites Only’ signs

I didn’t have to ask
‘Where do I sit?’
‘Where do I go?’

Details | Hi-Dong Chai Poem

Power Rules

In this world
Power rules
What would have happened
If Germany won WWII in Europe?
If Japan won WWII in Pacific?

Jewes would have disappeared 
On this planet
Japan would have 
Beheaded millions of
Asians
Their headless bodies scattered all over
Thier heads piled up on street corners

Church doors?
All closed

Shinto Shrines?
Full of life
People worshipping
Japnese emperor
Not because
Of their desire
But because 
Of their lives

Thanks God
Democracy won 
The war in Europe
Democracy won
The war in Pacific

Democracy won 
Because they had
Stronger miliatry power

Let's face it
In this world
POWER RULES

Details | Hi-Dong Chai Poem

Knowing and Believing

I believe
Because I don’t know

I know the sun rises in the east and sets in the west
I know spring follows summer
Summer follows autumn 
Then winter

But do I know God exists?
No, I don’t
That's why I believe

Why do you believe?

Because it gives me hope
It gives me strength
To march on with my life


My mother believed

She lost first three babies
Even before they could walk and talk

During WWII
She lost her son when he was 15
He volunteered to join Japanese army
To save his father from prison
After the war he came home injured
And died a year later

After liberation from Japan
His oldest son was labelled a communist
In the democratic south
Police harrased her 
Day and night
'Where is your son hiding?'
'I don't know, Sir'
Was her only reply

During the Korean War
She saw her husband walking away
Between two soldiers
Never to return

All through her married years
She was harassed by Japanese police
Harassed by North Korean soldiers
Harassed by South Korean police

But she marched on
With her head straight
Her heart in compassion

She prayed without ceasing
Asking God for strength
To march on with her travails

She lived to ninety two long years
And left this world 
With smile on her face

Details | Hi-Dong Chai Poem

Twinkling of An Eye

We live in the universe
Billion miles wide
The planet earth is
Billion years old

We are tiny specs
In this vast universe
And we stay on this planet
For a twinkling of an eye

While we are here
Let’s be friends
Let’s hold hands with each other
Let’s look at each other
With a broad smile
Sing a song of brotherhood
Even for a twinkling of an eye

Details | Hi-Dong Chai Poem

Being Hungry In America

(Austin, TX, 1955)

Mother writes me
From Korea
Ravaged by the war:

You are so blessed
Living in America
Land of peace
Land of plenty

I mumble:

Mother
I eat two raw eggs 
In the morning
Three pieces of Wonder bread
For supper
To save money for tuition

I’m very hungry

I’m also very lonely

I eat my eggs and bread
Sitting in front of vanity mirror
To keep company 
With a person in the mirror

But I’m determined to succeed
And make you proud

Please stay well until I return

Details | Hi-Dong Chai Poem

Goodbye

I am afraid to get close to people
Because I may have to say, ‘Goodbye’

It brings me back sad memories.

I said, ‘Goodbye’ to my brother
My best friend
When I was 10
I said ‘Goodbye’ to my dog
Another best friend
When I was 14
I said. ‘Goodbye’ to my father
When I was 14.
I never saw them again.

Then I said, ‘Goodbye’ to my mother
When I was 16.

When I came to America
I moved all over the country
I said, ‘Good byes’ to many of my friends

Goodbye, John
Goodbye, Jane
Goodbye, Bowwow
Goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbye

Why do I have to say
So many goodbyes?

It hurts

Now I am in my twilight years
Waiting for God
To call me home

Will I get to see my loved ones
When I cross the bridge
Of no return
At a place called Heaven?

I sure hope so
It will be so nice 
To see them again

Details | Hi-Dong Chai Poem

Source of Hate

Hate,
You came to me
When I was a child

I don’t want you to
Be near me
Ever again


It was during WW2
Japan ruled
Koreans obeyed

One day 
Mother came home
With tears in her eyes
Her voice filled with bitterness

A Japanese soldier kicker her
With his heavy boots
In a busy street
Where everyone was watching

Watching her bruised knees
Discolored shins
I felt hatred filling my entire being
Spreading like a wild fire
Not only against the soldier
But against all Japanese

I was a seven year old boy then

Late in life
I realized:

This must be how we learn to hate
A person and a nation
If unchecked, the hate will grow
Like wild fire
Spreading all over 

Mother taught me to love
She said love was like 
Spring sunshine
Helping people to get out 
Of their cocoons
And mingling with others
As brothers and sisters


But how can I love 
Instead of hate?

I did not tell myself to hate
It happened without trying

When I saw Mother’s bruised knees
Ugly face of hate filling my entire being
With the red banner of death
Coaxing me to revenge

Can I shove this hate 
In the chamber of my will power?

Or Will it explode with mighty fury?

Or should I pray to God to diffuse it?